Before the Dawn by Cynthia Eden

Author: Cynthia Eden
Publisher: Harlequin
Date of publication: July 2017


Ex-SEAL Tucker Frost knows that the world is full of evil. He saw it in the face of his own brother, Jason Frost, a cold, methodical, sadistic killer. A killer Tucker put down with his own hands in order to save Jason's final victim--Dawn Alexander, the only girl who got away from the infamous "Iceman." 

It's Tucker's up close and personal experience with evil that's made him perfect for Samantha Dark's experimental profiling division in the FBI. And when women start turning up murdered with the same MO used by the Iceman, Tucker is sent back to Louisiana to investigate. 

Seven years have passed since the night that Tucker faced down his brother...and since he last saw Dawn, his one-time lover. But as Tucker and Dawn grapple with a desire that never died, they must also face the shared shadow from their pasts. Both have the same question--has Jason Frost come back from the dead to hunt again? And this time, will he succeed in killing the victim who got away?

Before the Dawn is the second book in the Killer Instinct series.  I recently reviewed the first book, After the Dark. This is Tucker's story. He appeared in the first book.  Having recently joined a new unit in the FBI, he is called to New Orleans to investigate the recent "Iceman" killings.  The only problem is the Iceman is dead.  Tucker killed him.  The "Iceman" also happened to be his brother.

This one was really good. The story starts with a tension filled scene and doesn't stop.  I definitely didn't know who the killer was throughout the book.  Every time I thought I knew, I was totally wrong.  I'm not going to give spoilers, so you'll have to read to find out for yourself,  As for the romance, this is also a second chance story. Seven years before, Tucker and Dawn where an item when his brother tried to make Dawn his latest victim. The trauma tore them apart and now they have a chance to make things right. I loved them together.  Dawn was a great character.  I loved how she fought her way back from terror to make herself stronger and not afraid to fight back.

This is a great series so far.  The next book Into the Night comes out later this month.  Make sure to come back on January 8 for my stop on the TLCBook Tour.  I'm looking forward to reading it!